The Real Estate Investment You Can Buy for $50

Rental houses, fix-and-flips, tenant calls at 2 AM, 20% down payments — this is what most people picture when they hear “real estate investing.” It’s wrong.

Millions of ordinary investors already own pieces of office towers, apartment complexes, data centers, and shopping centers without touching a lease agreement. The vehicle is a REIT — Real Estate Investment Trust — and it’s one of the most misunderstood investment structures in finance.

I’ve been in and around commercial r...